Stakeholder Meeting at the Schaufler Academy: Milestones in the XR2ACH Project

On January 26, 2026, the partners of the InnoVET PLUS project XR2ACH gathered for an intensive stakeholder meeting at the Schaufler Academy in Rottenburg am Neckar. The goal of the meeting was to present and evaluate the current state of the virtual learning environments and to set the course for the upcoming pilot phase in the trades.

For over a year, the joint project — coordinated by Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (H-KA) together with Albstadt-Sigmaringen University (HAS) and the Virtual Dimension Center (VDC) — has been working on the digitalization of refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump technology. Through the use of Extended Reality (XR), complex technical processes — such as what happens inside a compressor — are made tangible, and realistic simulations for vocational education are delivered.

The project’s central innovation goals are:

• Developing a virtual learning environment and practice-oriented applications for refrigeration and heat pump technology.
• Testing and evaluating didactic concepts for effective implementation.
• Establishing a contact and transfer center for the use of XR technologies in vocational education.

Technology You Can Touch: From Single-User Application to Collaboration

The meeting offered valuable insights into the current development of both the single-player and multiplayer applications. While H-KA is focusing on detailed individual scenarios such as leak detection, Albstadt-Sigmaringen University (HAS) presented the progress of the collaborative environment.

• Precision in simulation: in the area of leak detection, the depiction of the bubble test was refined. The project team places great importance on precise technical wording, clearly distinguishing between the “spray can for the bubble test” and the “leak detection spray used as a test spray.”
• Collaborative learning: HAS is developing a multiplayer-capable, hybrid learning environment based on the open-source tool “Ubiq.” Several “classroom scenarios” have already been designed in which trainers and trainees can interact together, with interaction rights controlled individually.
• Hardware & controls: alongside the classic Meta Quest 3 controller input, intensive research is underway on integrating hand-gesture controls and haptic feedback.

Seamless Integration into Everyday School Life

A decisive factor for the long-term sustainability of XR2ACH is technical compatibility with existing educational infrastructure. The project relies on a flexible, cloud-based infrastructure that not only meets current requirements but also remains open for future extensions.

Although a direct connection to a Learning Management System (LMS) is not currently a priority for most end users, the project’s interface architecture is designed with this in mind. By using xAPI standards, the infrastructural foundation is laid to seamlessly integrate XR2ACH into systems such as Moodle or ILIAS if needed. The project demonstrates these connection possibilities as an example, ensuring that progress and quiz results can, in the future, be transferred directly into familiar administrative systems. This preparation guarantees easy scalability for larger educational institutions or later expansion stages.

To lower the barriers to adoption, the project demonstrates practical approaches to Mobile Device Management (MDM) for XR hardware and provides corresponding guidelines. This enables educational institutions to manage their device fleets efficiently, roll out updates centrally, and ensure secure operation.

From Lab to Workshop: Outlook and Transfer

A key outcome of the meeting is the planning of the first test phase with trainees in the trades, expected to take place between calendar weeks 9 and 13. At the same time, the VDC is actively driving forward knowledge transfer to make the results accessible nationwide.

As part of the project planning, targeted transfer activities were coordinated to make the prototypes accessible to a broad professional audience. Presence at major trade fairs such as Didacta 2026 in Cologne and XR Expo 2026 in Stuttgart, as well as a thematic focus at Chillventa 2026 in Nuremberg, were fixed as central milestones.

In addition, the project consortium discussed targeted ways to reach relevant target groups through additional event formats at partner organizations. This decentralized outreach — for example, at guild meetings, trade association days, or workshops with education partners — ensures that the project results are carried directly into the wider industry and evaluated in dialogue with practice.

We would like to sincerely thank the Schaufler Academy for their hospitality, as well as all partners — from the Landesinnung Kälte-Klima-Technik to TWK Karlsruhe — for the constructive exchange.